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This season of Mad Men has been once crazy trip, LSD reference intended. I really hate Megan and can’t wait to see it all end, but how will Matt Weiner do it. Vincent Kartheiser has delivered a top performance, it would be nice if he finally won his much deserved Emmy. Not to mention Elisabeth Moss and of course John Hamm. But I think this year’s Best Actor Emmy will go to Hugh Laurie, it was House’s final season and he has been nominated so many times without a win, he had become the Susan Lucci of the Primetime Emmy’s.

As far as The Killing, I really hoped it would improve over last year, it did pick up the pace a bit, but the red herrings and side stories ruin would could have been a great procedural drama. If it wasn’t for the relationship between Holder and Linden I wouldn’t keep watching.

Now that TV season 2012-2013 has been put to bed, let’s reflect on the season finales of some of our favorites.

Did they meet or exceed expectations, or fall flat.

The Vampire Diaries – I knew it was coming, I knew they would turn Elena. It was the road to the last 5 minutes that was so satisfying, the flashbacks with Elena’s parents and Aunt Jenna tieing her past and present together created lovely symmetry and storytelling. If that wasn’t big enough, Klaus has taken over Tyler’s body, which should make all the interactions between Caroline and Tyler creepy but really good next season. Before Elena became a vampire she picked Stefan, but I don’t think that is going to stick, and they killed Ric. I am sure he will be back, nobody ever really dies on TVD.

The Good Wife – Kalinda’s ex is coming, and it looks like a lot of trouble is coming with him. Best scene Eli, Peter, Cary, Alicia and Will at the elevator. Not since the Impala on Supernatural has an inanimate object played such an important part in a TV show. Lockhart/Gardner might be bankrupt thanks to Patti Nyholm and Louis Canning, the always pitch perfect Martha Plimpton and Michael J. Fox. – Met Expectations

Smash – I really really wanted to like this show, I stuck with it all season and hoped it would pull it out for the finale. Boy was I wrong. Kat McPhee was horrible as Marilyn, they ruined the character of Ivy Lynn, and just when you thought it wasn’t possible, Derek became more of a slime ball. Julia’s pregnant, but somehow she and Tom manage to finish the big closing number minutes before curtain and Karen still learns the whole number by the end of the show. Not to mention she learned pretty much the whole show in a day, because that is totally believable. All I can hope is the new executive producer can fix this show, he already fired Ellis (TG) and Dev. I have doubts because the new EP is from Gossip Girl, but maybe, just maybe he can pull it off. – Fail

Scandal – Wow, they really knocked it out of the park with this episode. I can’t wait for this show to come back in the fall. Let me see if I have this straight, Quinn is some kind of fugitive, Cyrus had Amanda killed, the first lady is faking a pregnancy to save her husband’s career. Really can’t wait until for this one to come back. – Exceeded expectations

House – The guest appearances of Kutner (Kal Penn), Cut Throat Bitch/Amber, (Anne Dudek) and Cameron (Jennifer Morrison) were icing on the cake. House faking his death and riding off in the sunset with Wilson was double fudge cake so yummy and satisfying to this long time viewer. The House/Wilson bromance was always the heart of the show, David Shore acknowledged that and showed the fans respect by sending them off together.

Glee – It’s the graduation episode, it should be a big deal, these are characters we have watched for three years, characters we love. Obviously we love them more than Ryan Murphy and the writers, because this send off was lame and made the characters look stupid, it was insulting. The only bright spot, Rachel went to New York, please let her stay there and dont let the show follow her. Kurt and Finn didn’t get into the colleges they applied to, and didn’t have a safety school?!!! Finn enlists in the Army to pay tribute to his Dad, who was a Marine, makes sense right. The graduation ceremony was completely unbelievable, most public schools have a huge graduating class and wouldn’t allow their glee to hi-jack it for a performance. Basically a crap finale for a crap season.

Modern Family – The novella spoof was inspired, Jay (Ed O’Neill) dancing with Lily was hilarious and the perfect set up for the the big ending. Gloria is pregnant. – Exceeded Expectations

Lets start with a brief history lesson. Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day, it began after the Civil War to honor the Union soldiers, it was expanded to include all soldiers after its 20th anniversary.

While you are traveling, partying, shopping, going to a movie or just breathing take a moment to say thank you to the men and women who have served in all branches of the military. Those who protect our freedom, and whether you agree with the politics of the wars in which they have served they still deserve your respect.

Thank you for giving up your life, your comfort and being separated from your families so I can write this blog and live freely in this crazy place we call America.

Go On – Mathew Perry plays a sports radio host who is trying to come to terms with the death of his wife, he attends a grief support group. I know the premise sounds lame, but the trailer sold me. And I am a big Mathew Perry fan, I will always love the Bing.

Revolution – Do you remember when that special was on last year based on that book, called After Humans, well this show is sort of like this only the humans are still here but all the technology is gone. I don’t know about you but it certainly plays on a big fear we all have today. We have become so dependent on our smartphones and computers. It’s from Erik Kripke (creator of Supernatural), one of my all time favorite shows, J.J. Abrams and Jon Favreau so I will check it out, but I am not sure if I will stick it out. As much as I love Billy Burke, I just don’t know about this one.

Chicago Fire – Stars Jesse Spencer (Chase from House) and Taylor Kinney (Mason from The Vampire Diaries), based on the trailer I am tuning in for two things, hot guys and hot special effects. It pretty much looks like every other show about everyone dating and screwing everyone at their place of work, Grey’s Anatomy, ER, take your pick. Like I said I am in it for the scenery.

CBS

Elementary – Modern Day Sherlock Holmes, I know BCC is already doing that with Sherlock staring Benedict Cumberbatch, but hey its too British for American audiences and I am sure we can do it better. Yeah, we will see about that. What this version lacks in originality it makes up for in casting Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock and Lucy Liu as Watson. The trailer pulls you in, so I will be checking it out. I realize I don’t need another murder of the week procedural but maybe this one will surprise me.

ABC is offering up a lot of new shows this season but only one looks interesting enough to talk about, Nashville starring Connie Britton.

Britton plays a fading country star, she is pitted against the much younger Hayden Panettiere. It looks like a Country Strong ripoff without the suicide. Could this be this season’s guilty pleasure, I’m gonna have to tune in to find out. BTW excellent supporting cast Eric Close and Powers Boothe.

Arrow – Based on DC comics Green Arrow,(they dropped the Green part from the title ) and not staring Justin Hartley, ( he has another show), this Arrow comes in the form of Stephen Amell as billionaire Oliver Queen back from the dead and ready to fight for the little guy. Katie Cassidy (formerly of Melrose Place) plays his x. The trailer is hot, and looks dark and gritty, I am in.

Beauty and The Beast – Ok, I know all I did was complain about Kristin Kreuk when she was on Smallville, she couldn’t act, she was bland, blah blah, and I doubt she has gotten better, but I am curious to see if the rest of the cast (like the Smallville cast, Alison Mack and Michael Rosenbaum ) will be enough to rinse the bad taste from my mouth. The trailer looks good, and The CW knows how to bring the pretty and the epic romance. But it’s lead in is TVD, and the level of epic romance on that show is hard to compete with. Kristn plays a NY cop (big stretch), and the beast isn’t too beastly looking (please look at the picture) If your beast isn’t ugly, and is easy to fall in love with doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of the story about loving what’s on the inside.

The Carrie Diaries – Based on the book of the same name, we meet up with high a school agee Carrie Bradshaw, her mother has just died and she is starting an internship in Manhattan where she meets Larissa a writer for Interview magazine and so begins here new life. The show is set in 1984, I can’t wait for the fashions and the music. It is a mid-season replacement, so we will have to wait until January to see how it all began.

Emily Owens, M.D – Stars Mammie Gummer ( Meryl’s daughter) frequent guest star on The Good Wife as a surgeon who is trying to prove herself at a Denver hospital, it also stars Justin Hartley as her love interest. I know hospital shows are a dime a dozen, but this one seems to have a nice comic tone and is more charm than medical.

and finally Cult – This is also a mid-season replacement, and I will admit I am only on board, because Matthew Davis (Alaric from The Vampire Diaries ) is in it. Here is the premise, a scripted TV show about a cult leader, that people start taking seriously and following as a real cult leader. Alaric’s brother gets caught up in the craziness. It’s a show in a show concept, which may be too hard too follow for the average CW viewer. The couldn’t even keep up with Ringer.

A trail of murders reignites Nick’s search for the gold coins; a mysterious woman in black starts to interfere with Nick and Hank’s investigation; Nick’s relationship with Juliette reaches a crossroads.

Like this:

But the really big news it’s nationals on Glee, will the gang finally win, it is senior year, and the core team is graduating so all signs point to yes. But this is Glee and who knows with this wacky show.